Mar 15, 2013 9:20 AM

I photographed this near Madrid last summer and I'm having trouble identifying it.

I thought maybe a sawfly, but then I noticed the three white spots on the thorax. Last time I found white spots - I thought they were on an ant - it turned out to be a wasp, so male velvet ant is also on my list of possible suspects. Judging from the focal length I used, I estimate the length to be 1.5 - 2 cms.

Thanks for the suggestion. However, my insect guide says the Ichneumons have long antennae of at least 16 segments. I realise it's difficult to count these but it looks to me like only 7 (maybe 8 if the final segment is in fact two).

The wing seems to be transparent except for a white and black spot on the forwards edges behind the rear legs. Don't know it that helps.

You were right all along: it is a Sawfly, and it must be one of the Tenthredinidae. Please follow the link below to compare with a similar image (although it's not the same species, I believe it's the same genus).